[Opinion] Rev. Fr Angelo Unegbu: When Freedom of Worship Is Attacked, Everyone Is in Danger

The recent crackdown on a traditional spiritual practitioner in Anambra State has sparked a wider national debate about belief, law, and the limits of government authority in matters of religion.

While some Nigerians applauded the action as part of a broader effort to combat fraud and ritual exploitation, others have raised concerns about the implications for constitutional rights. Among those who have spoken out is Catholic priest and commentator Angelo Chidi Unegbu, who argues that the issue goes far beyond the actions of one individual.

According to Fr Unegbu, the humiliation of a spiritual practitioner by forcing him to “prove” supernatural powers publicly raises troubling questions about the protection of religious freedom in Nigeria.

His reaction comes amid the controversy surrounding the actions of Charles Soludo, whose administration has taken steps against certain native doctors accused of misleading people with promises of wealth through spiritual means.

But for Fr Unegbu, the central issue is not whether one agrees with the beliefs or practices of the accused individual. Instead, he insists that the real danger lies in the precedent such actions may set for religious freedom in the country.

Citing Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the priest reminds Nigerians that every citizen has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This includes the freedom to practice and propagate one's beliefs without interference.

“You don’t have to like his beliefs,” he argues. “You don’t have to agree with his practices. But no one has the right to force him to prove his deity or demonstrate his faith like a circus act.”

From his perspective, asking a spiritual leader to publicly demonstrate supernatural powers risks turning matters of faith into a spectacle and could open the door to state interference in religious life. Fr Unegbu also warns that if such actions are accepted today, the same standard could easily be applied to other religions tomorrow.

To illustrate his point, he presents a hypothetical scenario: imagine security agents demanding that a Catholic priest prove how the Eucharist becomes the Body of Christ before allowing him to continue his ministry. Such a demand, he argues, would be widely considered offensive and unacceptable. For the priest, the principle is simple: the government should focus on prosecuting crimes, not testing spiritual claims.

If an individual has committed fraud, exploitation, or any other offense under the law, he says the proper approach is to bring charges in court and allow the judicial system to determine guilt or innocence. But targeting a person simply because of the way they worship or the spiritual claims they make risks undermining the constitutional protections that safeguard religious diversity in Nigeria.

Fr Unegbu therefore calls on religious bodies and citizens alike to speak up whenever the dignity of any believer is threatened. According to him, silence in the face of such incidents could gradually weaken the freedoms that Nigerians often take for granted.

“When we allow the dignity of one believer to be destroyed,” he writes, “we chip away at the dignity of us all.”

His warning ultimately raises a difficult but important question for Nigerian society: in the effort to combat deception and exploitation, how far should the state go without crossing the line into religious oppression?

Rev. Fr Angelo Chidi Unegbu
(Originally shared via Facebook)